---
title: "ii–V–I Progression: Chords, Keys and Guide Tones · Piakno"
description: "A ii–V–I is three chords in a row: the chord on the second degree, the dominant on the fifth, then the tonic. In C major it is Dm7, G7, Cmaj7, the standard way jazz reaches home."
url: "https://piakno.com/theory/ii-v-i"
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---

# The ii–V–I progression

> A ii–V–I is three chords in a row: the chord on the second degree, the dominant on the fifth, then the tonic. In C major it is Dm7, G7, Cmaj7, the standard way jazz reaches home.

Also called two-five-one or ii-V-I chords

## What chords make up a ii–V–I?

The numerals count degrees of the scale: ii is the chord built on the second note, V on the fifth, I on the first. The lower-case ii means its third is minor. With sevenths added, a ii–V–I in a major key is ii7, V7, Imaj7: a minor seventh chord, a dominant seventh and a major seventh. In C, that is Dm7, G7, Cmaj7. The last chord may also be a sixth chord, I6, in place of Imaj7: in C, C6 is C–E–G–A.

*Dm7, G7 and Cmaj7, each chord voiced to sit close to the one before it.*

## Why does a ii–V–I sound like arriving home?

Each root falls by a fifth, D to G to C, the strongest root motion between chords. The ii steps away from the tonic and sets up the V; the V7 carries the most tension, because the B and F inside it form a tritone (the dominant seventh entry explains why); and the I releases it. Three chords make a small story: leave, lean, land.

## What are guide tones?

The third and the seventh of a chord are the two notes that make it what it is: the third says major or minor, and the seventh says which kind of seventh. Through a ii–V–I they hardly move. The seventh of Dm7, C, falls a half step to B, the third of G7. The third of Dm7, F, holds and becomes the seventh of G7. Then F falls a half step to E, the third of Cmaj7, while B holds as its seventh. Play only those two notes of each chord, in either hand, and you get a line that barely leaves its place.

*The guide tones of Dm7, G7 and Cmaj7. The upper note falls from C to B and then holds; the lower note holds on F and then falls to E.*

## What does a ii–V–I look like in a minor key?

In minor the ii is a half-diminished chord, with a flat fifth, written iiø7 or, as a chord symbol, m7♭5. The V is a dominant seventh, often altered, and the practice tool writes it with a flat nine. The flat nine is not a decoration: in A minor, E7♭9 has F as its ♭9, and F is the key’s own sixth degree (♭6), so the dominant uses a note the minor key already has. The I becomes a minor tonic, i7, or a minor sixth chord, i6. In A minor that is Bm7♭5, E7♭9, Am7 (or Am6 at the end). The lower guide tone holds on D and then falls to C, and the upper one falls from A to G♯ to G.

*The guide tones of Bm7♭5, E7♭9 and Am7, in A minor.*

## What is a ii–V–I in other keys?

Count up from the tonic to find the three roots, then spell the qualities the same way every time. The table shows four major keys and one minor key.

| Key | ii | V | I |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| C major | Dm7 | G7 | Cmaj7 |
| F major | Gm7 | C7 | Fmaj7 |
| B♭ major | Cm7 | F7 | B♭maj7 |
| G major | Am7 | D7 | Gmaj7 |
| A minor | Bm7♭5 | E7♭9 | Am7 |

## Common questions

### What does ii–V–I mean?

The numerals name the chords by scale degree: ii on the second, V on the fifth, I on the first. Lower case marks a minor chord. In C major it means a D minor chord, then G, then C.

### How do you play a ii–V–I on the piano?

Start with the left hand on the roots D, G and C and the right hand on the four notes of each chord, moving each finger as little as possible. When that feels easy, try only the third and seventh of each chord.

### Is the ii–V–I only used in jazz?

No. Jazz made it famous, but the same motion, away from the tonic, through the dominant and back, also drives cadences in classical music, and pop songs use it too.

## You can practice this in:

- [Chord-symbol harmony · Level 3](https://piakno.com/chord-harmony?level=3)

## Related entries

- [Seventh chords](https://piakno.com/theory/seventh-chords)
- [Chord symbols](https://piakno.com/theory/chord-symbols)
- [The dominant seventh chord](https://piakno.com/theory/dominant-seventh)
- [Cadences](https://piakno.com/theory/cadences)
- [The 12-bar blues](https://piakno.com/theory/twelve-bar-blues)

- [Theory reference](https://piakno.com/theory)